Big Changes Coming to Downtown Boise Street

Downtown Boise could be seeing some big changes soon. According to the Idaho Statesman, there is a proposal to reduce the number of lanes on 8th street and add more bike lanes to "create a bike connectivity network Downtown".

According to the Statesman, Boise’s urban renewal agency is proposing:

reduce traffic to one northbound shared car and bike lane on the block between Bannock and Jefferson

add a southbound bike-only lane buffered from the northbound lane by an elevated bike curb

replace the parking spots on each side of 8th with a single back-in angled parking lane.

It would widen the sidewalk from 14 feet to 25 feet on one side of the street, which could allow for outdoor seating at some restaurants along the street

Between Jefferson and State Streets, the sidewalks would stay at 14 feet wide. Traffic would go from three northbound lanes to two

Construction -if approved- would begin this Summer. According to the Statesman, the proposal will be discussed at a Boise City Council work session this afternoon (1/15).